March 14: Big day for Pelfrey

This is a big day for Mike Pelfrey. He’s been good all spring. The most effective of the fifth starter candidates, but there’s always been the underlying feeling that because he needs to refine his secondary pitches, that he might go to the minors if there’s an effective alternative.

Chan Ho Park has been so-so. Not as good as Pelfrey. If Pelfrey has a solid outing against Detroit, I can see the Mets seriously considering him as the fifth starter over Park.

Here’s a look at the fifth-starter derby:

Mike Pelfrey: Rookie has pitched better than expected.
Chan Ho Park: Has been hot-and-cold, which is the job description of a fifth starter.
Aaron Sele: Has not been effective and won’t stick.
Jason Vargas: Could be more valuable as a reliever.
Jorge Sosa: I see him sticking in the bullpen.
Phil Humber: Will go to the minors.
Alay Soler: Was waived Tuesday.

John Delcos enters his third season covering the Mets for The Journal News after eight seasons on the Yankees beat. Prior to coming to New York, John covered the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians.

15 Comments

Ed in Westchester

Pelfrey.
They don’t need a #5 right away, so that would limit his innings to start with (probably be skipped twice). Then, as the #5, he wouldn’t be expected to go long in a game anyway.
He has outpitched Park so far. Like Bannister did last year to Heilman.

On the one hand, I want to protect Pelfrey, like the FO, and let him develop into the #2, #1 he could be without the pressure of winning on the ML level.

On the other hand, if it is really between Park and Pelfrey, I would much much prefer Pelfrey, for almost the same reasons. If he can help the team, I’d rather give him the spot than bring someone else in. Kind of the whole hiring from within preference.

Bottom line – if Park is going to be better, then give him the job. But if it’s going to be 6 one way, half a dozen the other, or if Pelfrey is actually better, then give the kid the job.

Park won’t likely clear waivers or accept starting the year in AAA, so, it’s going to be Park in my opinion. With the number of health/effectiveness question marks in the rotation at this stage, you’d want to keep as many reasonable options on the roster as possible. Pelfrey will get his chance at some point in the season, probably fairly soon. Whether it be El Duque going down with some ailment, Perez struggling, or, hopefully, all cylanders firing and they have the confidence to send Park away for the higher risk/reward option in Pelfrey, he’ll get his opportunity.

I don’t think it really matters. Judging from the past year and the frequency that the Mets starters go down with injuries, I’m sure that they will both be in the rotation before we change the calendar to May. We’ll probably be having the same discussion in a few weeks deciding if we should use Vargas or Sosa as the fifth starter.

I think Vargas should be the fifth. Sosa in the pen. Park ( if he makes it through options/waivers) and Sele in the minors as ready backups. Pelfrey and Humber develop in the minors. Pelfrey mid-season call up as a starter, Humber a late season call up as a reliever.

I like Park. I like Koreans. I liked Jae Seo- he had a killer year in 2005 and we just forgot about him. I want to see Park in there throwing 10-12 Ks a game. He’s a strikeout pitcher. We don’t have many of those.

And Delcos, shouldn’t it be “whom do you choose”? The indefinite article is in the accusative there, an oblique case.

I’d start the season with Pelfrey at AAA, where he’ll at least be guaranteed a regular turn in the rotation. Let Park do his Lima imitation and pitch his way out of town by the end of April.

I saw Humber pitch for the first time yesterday and thought that, while he has a nice repertoire, the command just isn’t there yet. As such, he looks alternately outstanding and hittable during the same AB, based on his inconsistent location.

I also saw Vargas pitch for the first time as a Met. The two things that jumped out at me were an impressive breaking pitch and a not-so-impressive 87-mph fastball. The words “situational lefty” came to mind.

Most of the Met fans I know would much prefer Pelfrey over Chan Ho Park. No disrespect to Park, but Mike Pelfrey is the future, and if we were able to bring David Wright and Jose Reyes up at very young ages (remarkable how the two of them are STILL under 25 yet we’ve known them since 2003 and 2004), then we should definitely be able to throw Pelfrey into the mix.